


For the Third Time

by abp



Series: All the Times [4]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Bisexual Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Coming Out, Fluff, Gen, Small reference to Reggie's parents' fighting, seriously I only write the gentlest coming out stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29229732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abp/pseuds/abp
Summary: Even Reggie "Girls, Am I Right?" Peters knows that it means something when you keep thinking about the not-remotely-a-kiss moment you had with another guy. He just needs a little help sorting it out--and who better to ask than Alex?
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina, Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina & Reggie Peters
Series: All the Times [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006380
Comments: 9
Kudos: 74





	For the Third Time

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write more with Julie and FINALLY Reggie gives me a chance to bring Julie into this series. :D As always, this can be read without reading the other fics in the series, but I recommend reading them all. I mean, I wrote them, of course I would.

Reggie is buzzing with energy, trying to sit still on the couch and pay attention to the movie playing on Julie’s laptop. His gaze flicks to Alex every thirty seconds or so, but Alex is completely engrossed. 

The thing is, well, no one tells you how hectic the afterlife is. Between dying, starting a new band, finding Bobby, getting cursed, almost ghost dying, and finally getting uncursed--all in little more than a _month_ \--Reggie has barely had a chance to think about what’s happened, let alone process it. And between all _that_ , the… less immediate things never stood a chance. 

But now there’s time and Reggie’s thinking about Luke. He can’t _stop_ thinking about Luke. 

It was a single dumb moment--Luke singing to him (which he’s done a million times!) and pressing fingers to his lips. A single dumb moment that keeps playing in Reggie’s head on repeat. Which is not helpful. How can you ignore something that shows up every time you close your eyes to forget it?

The fact is Reggie doesn’t know what to do with that moment… except, ask Alex.

Alex snorts at something happening in the movie--Reggie’s not even sure what they’re watching anymore. He’s curled up sideways on the couch with his feet just brushing against Reggie’s thigh. (It’s nice, although it feels too spacious without Luke squished in among them.) 

“This is so dumb,” Alex mutters, his eyes still glued to the screen.

Reggie gives a choked laugh. “Yeah.” His brain cycles back to Luke. _How does he make this stop?_ “Hey Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

Now Alex pauses the movie and turns to look at him. “What is it?”

Reggie shifts awkwardly, looking down at his lap before settling back on Alex. “How did you know you’re gay?”

For a moment, Alex just stares at him, deadpan. “Did Luke put you up to this?”

“What?” Reggie’s voice does _not_ go up an octave, definitely not. “Luke? Did he say something to you? I mean, no--why would he?”

A sudden clatter across the room interrupts them and Reggie turns to see Julie, frozen on the floor by her keyboard. She’s staring at them with wide eyes, phone in her hand. “Uhh, hi guys. Just pretend I was never here!”

Reggie shares a look with Alex, confirming that he’s just as confused. 

“You okay, Julie?” Alex asks gently.

“Yep. Totally. A hundred percent.” Julie’s smile is too wide as she gets up off the floor. “I left my phone here after practice and I needed it. But, really, never here. You two go back to whatever you were talking about--or not talking about, I wasn’t listening. Because I wasn't even here!" 

“Umm, okay?” Reggie is a little charmed by Julie’s awkwardness--pretty much everything she does makes him want to hug her, especially now that he can. But mostly he wants to put her at ease. “Do you want to join us? It’s cool.”

Julie’s gaze softens on Alex. “Are _you_ okay with that?”

“Why wouldn’t he be--” The past minute clicks into place and Reggie’s eyes go wide. He taps Alex’s ankle, turning to whisper to him frantically. “Did you not tell Julie you’re…” His eyes flick to Julie momentarily. It’s not like he didn’t already say it in front of her--it’s not like Alex _hides_ it--but now it feels like saying it would be betraying Alex. “Y’know, about you?”

Alex’s face scrunches up. “What? Of course I did.” He pauses. “I thought I did?” He looks at Julie then back at Reggie. “Oh maybe I didn’t.”

“No wonder she’s being weird!” 

“You know, you’re both really bad at whispering,” Julie says, a hint of a smile on her face. “But, uh, I can leave and pretend this never happened if you want?”

“No,” Alex says resolutely, moving to sit up properly on the couch. “I guess it’s like… you became part of this band so fast and I came out to the guys forever ago, so it just feels like you would know too. Y’know?”

Reggie nods sagely, even if it’s not for him. Sometimes it _does_ feel like Julie has been part of their group forever. He forgets that she doesn’t know all of their inside jokes or weird habits. That she wasn't in their high school class or at their past gigs.

“I mean, I did kind-of know? You talk about Willie a lot,” Julie says, and Reggie grins at the flush crossing Alex’s cheeks. “But I didn’t want to say anything if you didn’t want me to.”

Alex smiles softly. Reggie knows it still means a lot to him when people accept him wholeheartedly. “Well, uh, let’s do this officially then.” Alex clears his throat. “I’m gay. Surprised?”

Julie laughs. “Well Reggie kind-of blew it already.”

“Not on purpose!” Reggie defends. “You were… you were _creeping_!” 

Alex snorts and knocks his shoulder into Reggie. “It’s fine. I’m not hiding it.” 

And even though Reggie knew that, hearing it still makes something loosen in Reggie’s chest. Hurting Alex is the _last_ thing he would ever want to do.

“I’m glad that you feel comfortable to tell me, though. It means a lot.” Julie finally crosses the room to sit in the chair closest to them. “And I’m glad you’re happy. Willie sounds great.”

The pink is back on Alex’s cheeks as he sputters something about how they're not together exactly. Reggie snickers. 

“Alex and Willie, sitting in a tree,” he sing-songs--and it’s worth the immediate elbow he gets in his ribs.

“Shut up, shut up.” Alex glares, but that look has never had any effect on Reggie. “We were talking about you and _your_ crisis anyway.”

“I’m not having a crisis!” Reggie’s voice goes high again. He clears his throat. “I was just wondering. About you.”

Alex gives him a look. “Yeah, okay.” 

"Can't I wonder?" Reggie asks weakly. 

The following look says no, he really can't. Which is fair since it's not idle wondering. After a moment, Alex just sighs. "Okay if you really want to know…. For me, I guess I always knew. I didn't like girls the way other guys did and I ignored it for a long time, but there were boys I kind-of had crushes on even in elementary school." 

Reggie nods slightly, a wave of sadness taking space in his chest. Alex had been alone as a kid, ignoring his feelings; Reggie can't help wishing he'd been there to do something about it. 

"But it's not the same for everyone, Reg," Alex adds pointedly. "And gay and straight aren't the only options."

"I know," Reggie makes a face at him. It's easier to push back at Alex than think about himself. "I hung around the same queer clubs as you."

Alex rolls his eyes but Julie perks up a little in interest. 

"You did?"

Alex nods. "Luke got us booked at this one place practically every other week for months after I came out." He says it in that _what can you do?_ tone they all have to talk about Luke but Reggie knows the truth. All four of them loved that club deeply and every gig they had there. "I think they took pity on us because we were young and Luke would've booked us somewhere sketchier if they'd said no."

Julie laughs and it's clear she believes that. 

Reggie shares a glance with Alex because there's more to it than they're sharing--than he thinks he can share. He remembers the owner bringing them leftovers when she suspected they weren't going home all the time anymore, insisting her girlfriend always made too much. She paid Luke under the table to clean tables and do odd jobs during the day, never commenting on the fact that he wasn't going to school other than giving him new books to read. She kept a back table empty for them so he and Bobby could do homework between sets and her girlfriend even helped them struggle through calculus. 

"Yeah, we were lucky," Alex says with a wistful smile. 

Reggie searches for a happier memory--or maybe less emotionally complicated. 

"We went to Pride twice, too." That memory makes him beam; the four of them hot and sticky in the crowd but laughing the whole day, practically high on the energy. "That was cool."

"Oh, I went last year with Flynn!" Julie lights up.

"Woah what if we were there at the same time?" Reggie asks, eyes wide.

Alex fixes him with a stare. "Yeah, I don't think so."

It takes a minute before it sinks in, like cold water flooding through him. "Oh. Right,” he says flatly. “The whole being dead thing." It's easy to forget that what feels like a few months ago was actually 25 years. But it was. Julie didn’t go to school with them, the club they loved is gone, his house is gone, their families are mostly gone. 

"Maybe we can go together next time." Julie smiles kindly--and Reggie gives her a weak smile back. 

"Anyways,” Alex cuts in, steering Reggie out of his heartache. “Does that help with your not-crisis?" 

Of course, what Reggie really wants is to stop thinking about that moment and what Alex says doesn't help with that. It actually does the opposite, like shining a spotlight on the thing he was hoping to throw a blanket over. But maybe it's for the best. He hasn't ever liked to think about himself or his feelings--it hurts less to not linger in emotions or have expectations. 

Reggie closes his eyes for a moment and tries to squash down the swirling feeling in his stomach. "Well... would you say if you're kinda obsessed with someone, like thinking about something they did over and over and wanting it to happen again, that you probably _like_ like them and people of their gender?"

"Probably," Alex says kindly. "But you'd know better how you feel than anyone."

Reggie sighs. Hearing it out loud is like a camera lens going into focus and finally revealing a clear picture of himself. It’s been there the whole time--he could even see the blurry outline before! But Alex’s gentle words push him into place.

He has a crush on Luke, definitely. On and off for years, he thinks as he catalogs the times he's dropped everything to be around Luke or the times he felt uneasy about the attention different girls paid Luke. Bobby is a maybe, but only for a brief moment after he learned a guitar solo by ear just because Reggie said he liked it. Billie Joe Armstrong is an absolute yes too if that stomach swoopy feeling he got the first time he saw Green Day live is anything to go by. Maybe he's just into guitarists. 

"Okay, yeah," Reggie finally says. He can feel the weight of Alex and Julie's eyes on him.

"Yeah?" Alex repeats gently.

Julie's hand twitches like she wants to reach out to hold his. (She really is the best.)

Reggie nods. "I think… yeah. I think I'm bisexual." His cheeks are warm. The word is strange in his mouth but there's also a lightness to saying it. Knowing a piece of himself that has been obscured for so long. 

"That's awesome." Alex's smile is wide. 

Julie does move now to Reggie's other side on the couch and pulls him into a hug. "We love you."

Warmth spreads through him. He hasn't had to grapple with this for long like Alex did but it still feels easier to breathe now that he's figured it out. 

"Love you guys," Reggie murmurs into Julie's hair. He knows Alex hears him, though, because Alex is suddenly pressed against his other side in an awkward and too tight hug. (Reggie loves it.) 

"You ready to talk about that crush now?" Alex asks, faking innocence as they pull away. 

If Julie wasn't beside him, Reggie thinks he would tackle Alex. And use some colorful language. 

"I will take you down with me, Alexander," he says instead.

Alex grins. 

"If I ask, are you gonna tell me?" Julie asks wryly.

"Nope," they answer in unison and share a smile. 

Part of him does want to tell Julie, if only because they could form a _reluctantly, I find Luke Patterson hot_ club _._ But he has a hunch that Julie would overthink things and feel guilty about her own feelings. He knows Alex gets it--remembers what Alex said back when he had a crush on Luke. It's not real in the way that Reggie would ever act on it or even really want to, but… it's Luke. He's safe to love unapologetically. It's different for Julie and Luke, though, and Reggie's not going to mess with that even if they could get cool club t-shirts. 

"We should get matching shirts," he says instead.

Alex stares at him blankly. "I will never understand what goes on in your head.” But that's not a no.

Julie gives him a look that says they will talk t-shirt details later. Or maybe she's just humoring him, but he'll take it. (Or take it to Flynn, who will absolutely support him.) 

"Okay," Julie sighs and gets up. "I have homework to finish but I'll come back after dinner and we can watch--" she glances at her laptop and cringes. "Oh definitely not that."

In spite of Julie's comment, Alex restarts the movie as soon as she leaves. But this time he's not nearly as engrossed. 

"So, are we gonna circle back to Luke?" Alex asks, eyebrows raised.

Reggie groans. He should have expected that--Alex knowing, Alex not letting it go. "It's not a big deal. Just a dumb crush."

He nods slightly, face turning more sympathetic. "You'll get over it."

"How did you?"

Alex only shrugs. "Time I guess." 

That is, unfortunately, not the answer Reggie wants. It must show on his face because Alex places a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"Hey, you're handling this all really well," He says. "I know it can be hard to admit it--even to yourself."

Reggie mostly shrugs it off. It doesn't feel right to claim it as being hard, not after seeing what Alex went through.

"Well, it's easier having been around you." He bites his lip. "And it's just us now, y'know? It's not like I have to come out to my family." 

As soon as he says it, Reggie cringes. But Alex's face only drops a little, not nearly as bad a reaction as he used to have. 

"I don't know what they would have said but that makes it easier I guess. Not having that. Or dealing with kids as school or anything," Reggie babbles and pulls at a thread on his jeans. 

He can't help wondering what his family would have thought, but can only imagine it as fuel in his parents' fight. 

_Is this because of your father? He's always been so difficult. This is his fault, I just know it._

_Your mom told you to say that didn't she? She always makes things up to hurt people. You shouldn't listen to anything she says._

Part of him hopes it wouldn't have been that way--they did love him, even if they weren't always great at showing it. But he can't remember the last time he spoke to either of his parents without them complaining about the other like he was meant to pick sides. 

His siblings are even harder to imagine; they'd moved out and were practically strangers for long before Reggie died. But he wants to think his big sister would have told him she loved him the way you're supposed to at least. 

Alex reaches out to touch his arm like he can tell Reggie is lost in bittersweet thoughts. "Hey, I know this is all still… a lot," he says delicately. "But I'm proud of you, okay? And so is Julie and Luke will be too when you tell him. We’ve got each other, right?"

"Yeah." Reggie smiles and if his eyes are a little watery, it's just ghost allergies. "Thanks, Alex."

Alex stares at him for a moment more before swinging his arm around Reggie so Reggie can lean against him, head on Alex's shoulder, as they continue to watch the movie. It’s nice. Even though they’re ghostly, Alex is warm.

"Hey,” Reggie starts after a moment of not really paying attention to what’s happening on the screen. “Do you think Bobby ever had a crush on Luke?"

" _What_?" Alex’s voice comes out choked.

Reggie grins at Alex’s distress. "I mean, you, me, Julie--if Bobby did too, that'd be everyone we've been in a band with."

Alex shakes his head--Reggie can feel it more than see it. "No. I'm not thinking about this."

"Come on," he continues innocently, but now he’s really just winding up Alex. “Don't you think--”

"Shut up and watch the movie, Reginald, before I regret being nice to you."

Reggie just laughs and, for the moment, doesn’t think about Luke.


End file.
